Overview
The National Project Officer, Research and Development will lead the conceptualization and implementation of research projects on education for peace, wellbeing, and sustainability, and develop research strategies focusing on digital pedagogies and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and formulate research on how competencies for Social and Emotional Learning promote education for peace, wellbeing and sustainability.
- Lead the Research and Development Mission to develop national and international proposals for competitive funding.
- Lead collaboration with relevant entities within UNESCO on research projects that advance SEL competencies.
- Lead the design, research, and implementation of science and evidence-based programs that cultivate competencies for SDG 4.7.
- Lead science-based survey initiatives; guide design of data collection instruments; review, analyze and interpret responses.
- Ensure project alignment with Government reforms and maintain regular relations with national counterparts and key stakeholders.
- Manage outreach activities; prepare policy-oriented quality briefings and presentations, design and conduct training workshops, seminars, etc.
- Liaise with the Program Design and Evaluation Mission to formulate, plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate projects and activities.
- Identify opportunities to expand research initiatives on education for peace and sustainable development.
- Nurture partnerships with member states, education networks, universities, and research institutes.
- Contribute to all aspects of organizational and institutional development as a member of the Senior Management Team.
- Lead the adaptation of research and empirical findings to strengthen the science-policy nexus.
- Supervise the development of manuscripts for peer review, and policy briefs for stakeholders.
- Contribute to the preparation of reports for submission to the governing board on programme performance.
- Identify relevant partners that will assist in addressing gaps in the research agenda.
- Develop partnerships with relevant organizations to advance a global research agenda.
- Organize strategic dialogues with relevant stakeholders.
- Coordinate with various project teams to provide relevant research inputs.
- Coordinate with relevant UNESCO divisions and field offices to streamline research efforts.
- Collaborate with the partnerships team to develop strategic research partnerships.
- Any other task assigned by the supervisor.
Required Experience
- Minimum seven (7) years of progressively responsible relevant experience related to research and practice in education policy, sustainability, and evidence-based innovative development of pedagogical tools for learning and assessment in a university, research institute, think tank, multilateral, governmental, or civil society organization.
- Experience in designing and executing well-designed research programs for evidence-based learning.
- Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary research teams, and a strong record of peer-reviewed publications.
- Experience in supervising the successful implementation of research programs.
- Experience in Social and Emotional Learning and digital pedagogies.
- Experience in fundraising from relevant stakeholders.
- Field experience of conducting research with schools and Government Departments/Ministries following specified research protocols.
- Experience in an international environment with a focus on research for policy uptake.
Qualifications
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree) in the sciences of Learning, Education, Social Sciences or other disciplines related to education policy.
- PhD in a discipline relevant to education-related sciences.
